Soccer 7-A SIDE
Soccer (sometimes known as Football) is one of the world's most exciting sports combining strategy, speed, and agility. The 7-a-side version of Soccer extends this engaging and entertaining sport to the Paralympic arena.
Soccer 7-a-side has been an official part of the Paralympics since the New York/Stoke Mandeville Games in 1984.Canada has yet to qualify a team.
Soccer is played by seven athletes on each side of the field. The rules for 7-a side football are the same as those for Olympic football with a few modifications:
Throw-ins may be made with one hand
There are no off-sides
The goalkeeper may kick or throw the ball back into play after a maximum of four steps
A goal is scored when the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts, and under the crossbar. In group play-off matches or finals, if the match ends in a tie after the completion of the two 30-minute halves, two 10-minute extensions of extra time follow, (where the FIFA 'Golden Goal' rule applies). If there is no winner after the extra time, the teams follow a penalty kick procedure where five players from each team take a penalty shot each, and if still equal, follow the FIFA procedure.
Each team consists of 12 players with three substitutions allowed during each match. A match cannot continue with fewer than four athletes on the field. The match consists of two halves of 30 minutes each with a 15-minute halftime.
The sport is governed by the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) and follows the rules of the International Federation of Associated Football (FIFA), with some modifications. The Canadian Soccer Association is the National Sport Federation.
Key non-Paralympic competitions include the Parapan American Games and the CPISRA Football-7-A-Side World Championships
Classification
Disabilities for 7-a-side soccer include athletes with Neurological Impairments.
Athletes from the following classes compete in Soccer 7-a-side:
FT5: Athletes who have difficulties walking and running, but not standing or when kicking the ball. Usually, a small shift in the central equilibrium of these athletes leads to the loss of balance.
FT6: Athletes with moderate to severe athetosis, ataxia or a combination of spasticity and athetosis involving all four limbs. C6 athletes usually have control and co-ordination problems of their upper limbs, especially when running.
FT7: Athletes with hemiplegia. Athletes in this class generally walk with a limp and the arm or hand flexed on the affected side while the other side of the body usually functions well.
FT8: Athletes with mild hemiplegia, diplegia or athetosis or monoplegia who meet the eligibility criteria. Athletes in this class must have an obvious impairment that impacts their performance in the sport.
A minimum of one FT5 or FT6 class athlete must play throughout the match per team. In cases where this is not possible, the team is required to play with just six players.
No more than two Class FT8 players are permitted to play at the same time.
(Source: CPC, IPC, USPC)
